Activist Uncovers Massive Stamp Duty Discrepancy in Prestigious Pune Land Deal
A social activist in Pune has revealed shocking details about a multi-crore land transaction in the upscale Koregaon Park area, claiming he was threatened after filing an official complaint about massive irregularities in stamp duty payments.
Dinkar Kotkar, president of the Chhava Kamgar Union, filed a formal complaint with the Joint District Registrar's office on June 5, 2025, after obtaining documents showing that a Rs 300 crore property deal had paid only Rs 500 in stamp duty instead of the legally required Rs 21 crore.
The Complaint and Subsequent Threats
Kotkar told The Indian Express that he received the property documents around May 25, 2025, just days after the transaction was recorded. Being familiar with real estate matters, he immediately recognized the massive discrepancy in stamp duty payments.
"I am into social work and frequently get such kinds of papers," Kotkar explained. "I got the Index II document of the Koregaon Park land, and being in the business of real estate, I realized that a deal of Rs 300 crore should have a stamp duty of Rs 21 crore. But only Rs 500 stamp duty has been paid."
The activist emphasized that he was already aware that survey number 88 was Mahar Watan land, a type of hereditary land tenure in Maharashtra. He had even been approached two years earlier regarding work related to adding names of original owners to the land but couldn't complete the task.
What makes this case particularly sensitive is the political connection. The transaction occurred between Sheetal Tejwani, who holds power of attorney on behalf of the 272 original owners of the Mahar Watan land, and Digvijay Amarsinh Patil, director of Amadea Enterprises LLP. Parth Pawar, son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is also a director of this company.
Kotkar stated that after filing his complaint and receiving no response, he sent a reminder letter. Shortly thereafter, he claims a man identifying himself as Parth Pawar's assistant approached him and threatened him to withdraw the complaint and stay out of the matter.
Official Response and Current Status
Joint District Registrar Santosh Hingane confirmed to The Indian Express that the complaint had been received and an investigation initiated. "The JDR had initiated a probe following the receipt of the complaint and issued two notices to Sheetal Tejwani, who holds the power of attorney of the Mahar Watan land on behalf of the original 272 Watandars," Hingane stated.
Kotkar shared a copy of his June 5 complaint bearing the received stamp of the JDR office clerk. The activist revealed that this isn't his first attempt to highlight land irregularities - he has filed 10-15 complaints regarding land matters to the registration office, with only one resulting in an investigation and payment of the proper duty.
"I have not been informed about action taken on any other complaint I have filed so far," Kotkar noted, highlighting systemic issues in addressing such complaints.
In significant recent developments, FIRs have been filed against Tejwani, Patil, and government officials who facilitated the Koregaon Park land deal. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has stated that the deal now stands cancelled.
Kotkar emphasized that when he filed his original complaint, he was unaware of Parth Pawar's connection to the deal, as the documents didn't contain his name. The activist's persistence in pursuing this matter despite threats underscores the ongoing challenges in addressing land irregularities in Maharashtra's real estate sector.
